Letters to the editor: Elections

August 01, 2012

Anti -Obama signs, stickers had no place in the paradeEditor:What was a great parade was ruined at the end by allowing a group to hand out bright orange stickers and signs with an anti Obama message. This festival and parade is not the time or place for that and the whole committee should be ashamed and replaced. I don’t mind the local elephant and donkey on the trailer every year but the political views of one group shouldn’t be allowed. The biggest problem is it was teens/students handing the anti president material out. I hope the city of Charlevoix and the Venetian festival doesn’t lose a lot of out of town guests. I for one demand an apology submitted to the Petoskey News-Review and the Charlevoix Courier. I also request everyone involved in allowing this to step down from the committee. Long time Charlevoix taxpayer and resident. I love my town.Mike HenninkCharlevoix

Elect Jim Martin to House Editor:In the upcoming primary election for the Michigan House of Representative elector, I believe we have a chance to make a positive change for the people. His name is Jim Martin. I have known him as a coach and teacher for 15 years. He is very fair, hardworking and an intelligent person. As my daughter Mary said, “He’ll give 125 percent.”He will help to change a terrible wrong our current representatives voted in. For our tax return this year, none of us will be allowed to deduct $600 per person. That’s $2,400 for a family of four. It will add $96 to that person’s tax. That’s a lot of money for a person making $8,000 to $10,000 each year.I plan to vote for Jim Martin and I hope you do too.Leo J. “Pete” Miller Sr.Sault Ste. Marie

Votes urged for ShorterEditor:Bill Shorter is eager to be elected as commissioner for the county of Emmet. He would be able to make an outstanding contribution to this community. I have known Bill, a life-long resident of this county, and his family for well over 55 years, and have always admired his integrity and industriousness. It is a well known fact in Bill’s community of Springvale and Littlefield Township and the village of Alanson that he is a very caring, concerned citizen who listens well to others. His thoughts are always analytical, and he is a great person for details. As a retired captain of Northwest and Delta Airlines, he has demonstrated tremendous responsibility for the welfare of others. As president of Grandpa Shorter’s of Petoskey, Bill has demonstrated his ability as a leader and successful business person. Your vote for Bill in the upcoming primary Aug. 7 would guarantee excellent leadership for this community. Sandra L. BirdsallPetoskey

Elect a capable, experienced, ethical attorney, Allen TelgenhofEditor:Charlevoix County voters, it is time to elect a new prosecutor for our county. Our current prosecutor, John Jarema, carries with him an odor of prosecutorial misconduct, yet he expects to be reelected because he has tried a number of criminal cases and in his own words he is a “great family man.” He has blundered, erred, shown poor judgement, lied to the county commissioners and a judge, cost the county a pile of our tax money, with more issues to come post election even if he is not re-elected.Not once has he owned up to any of his well documented mistakes, errors, blunders and incidents of lying. There is always an excuse or someone to blame.It is time to elect a capable, experienced, ethical attorney of wisdom and integrity, Allen Telgenhof.Phoebe WietzkeBoyne City

Vote for ShumwayEditor:The primary election is coming up on Aug. 7 — a moment of truth for Northern Michigan voters. If you are informed, as you should be, then you will choose Suzanne Shumway for State Representative in the voting booth. If you are not informed, then choose her anyway. She will be our soldier in Lansing, for she will speak and act on our behalf where we cannot. Some may say that there is no such thing as an honest politician, but they haven’t met Suzanne. She is someone you can have faith in; someone who is reasonable, fair, and has the best interest of all of us at heart. She won’t abandon us when she makes it to Lansing, or be swayed by lobbyists; she will listen to our concerns and our ideas. Please give her a chance to show everyone what an intelligent, down to earth, honest person looks like in office. Vote for Suzanne Shumway for State Representative in August, and in November! Sue Kurtz Petoskey

Second Amendment is misunderstood Editor:It is clear from the cartoon and editorial concerning gun control that neither author has an understanding of the U.S. constitution. They do not understand either the Second Amendment or the role of a constitution. The Second Amendment is very clear and easily understood — ”the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”I wonder what words they don’t understand. As to the role of the Constitution, it is to keep persons like the authors and other elected officials from abridging our rights by simply passing a law. I wonder if they also have a similar difficult time understanding the First Amendment— “or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press ...” Bill Hartwig Pellston